Telstra may get a fire brigade escort to about eight NSW exchanges damaged by bushfires if certain roads closures are lifted as expected, but the ongoing flare up leaves 700 faults unattended and 200 customers bereft of all telecommunications services.

As yet the telco heavyweight cannot gain access to the Kurrajong Heights, Springwood, Pymble, Wahroonga, Killara and Epping exchange regions but may be able to send emergency repair teams to Lindfield, Hornsby, Castlereagh, Wentworth Falls, Bilpen, Berambing, Linden and Hazelbrook if the fire front recedes, as predicted, in these areas.

-We've already reconstructed services in those areas where fires have passed," a Telstra spokesperson told ZDNet Australia. Roving mobile base stations have also been sent to some of the affected areas to increase mobile capacity.

In order to avoid a backlog of replacement material, primarily power poles, terrestrial copper and optical lines, Telstra says it is already in talks with its supplier. -We're already working to minimise delays," the spokesperson said, adding that some sort of -interim service" would potentially be provided to those currently without telecommunications services.

Telstra has not seen the need to recall staff from interstate to help with the communications chaos caused by the continuing inferno, but three times a day there is a -management hook up" to monitor the situation, the spokesperson said.

-We're working very closely with fire authorities, and in fact they have a Telstra liaison officer with them," he added.

Telstra staff have also been directly effected by the fires, with about 12 working as volunteer fire fighters and three employees' homes damaged by the devastation which has across the state since Christmas Eve.

Copyright © 2009 CBS Interactive, a CBS Company. All Rights Reserved.
ZDNET is a registered service mark of CBS Interactive. ZDNET Logo is a service mark of CBS Interactive.